Bean or seed sorting machine.



No. 687,9". Patented mm 3, IBM.

' w. w. BALGH.

BEAN OR SEED SUBTING MACHINE.

[Application filed July 9, 1900.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Modei.)

No. 687,9". Patentd Dec. 3., |90!..

w. w. BALCH.

BEAN DR SEED SORTING MACHINE. (Application filed July 9, 1960.

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UNITED STATES PATENT FFICEt BEAN OR SEE D SORTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 687,991 1, datedDecember 3, 1901.

Application filed July 9,1900.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM W. BALCH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Deford, in the county of Tuscola and State of Michigan, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Hand Bean or Seed SortingMachines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to improve ments in bean and seed assortingmachines; and 1t conslsts in the construction and arrangement of parts,as will be hereinafter deof the box, and Fig. is a vertical longitudinalsection of Fig. 1 on the line 00 y. Fig. 6 is a detail view of a portionof the rubber belt, showing the manner of forcing the seed through theperforations therein.

Referring to the drawings, the letter A indicates the framework of myinvention suitably constructed for the purpose, the uprights a,connected on opposite sides of the frame, being provided withbearing-plates b and b, arranged one above the other, the upper ones,I), provided with a crank-shaft H, the lower ones, I), having a shaft Hwith a pedal G secured thereto, by means of which motion is imparted tothe crank-shaft H through the medium of a rod G", connected to saidcrankshaft H and to the pedal G. Mounted on the side bars or rails B ofthe frame and secured lengthwise thereon is a frame or box B, abovewhich is located a hopper 0. Below the hopper 0 is a feed-box D,provided with a shutoff slide E, whereby to regulate the flow of seedfrom said box. To the inner side walls of the frame or box B and securedin any suitable manner thereto is an open or slatted frame J, andimmediately under this open or slatted framework is a double inclinedscreenboard K, which passes through openings in the side walls of theframe or box B. Secured to the inner side walls of the box B and onopposite sides thereof are ways or channels L, and arranged above saidways L Serial No. 22,927. (No model.)

gations of the belt or apron may be inlaid with cord 5 of a suitablecharacter to prevent lateral stretching of the same. The apron is formedwith flanges c on its under opposite side portions, whereby said flangesare loosely mounted in the annular grooves 17. of the rollers N and Nand also connected in the channels or ways L and adapted to traveltherein during the rotation of said rollers, the projections 0, beforementioned, extending over the top edges of the apron I to prevent thesame from having an upward movement or from being displaced from thechannels L when the belt moves on the said rollers.

The letters P and P are pulleys mounted on the opposite ends of theroller N, whereby motion is imparted to the endless apron I by means ofa small belt R, connected to the pulley P and to a pulley P on thecrankshaft H. A belt m connects with the pulley P on one end of theroller N and also conmeets with a pulley Q, attached to a feed-cylinderjournaled in the feed-box D, whereby motion is given to said cylinder.

The letters M M denote blocks mounted in recesses or openings at theouter ends of the side walls of the box B. Said blocks are provided withmovable bearings 0, in which are rotatably mounted the journal ends ofthe roller N. The blocks are rendered adjustable by means of screw-bolts"6, located at the outer face portions of the said walls of the box 13,whereby the slack of the apron I is regulated. To the bottom of theframe or box I provide a spout F for the passage of the seed.

The slatted frame J being located immediately under the apron or belt Iprevents sagging of the same when the seeds thereon areforced through bythe tips of the fingers of the hands of the operator.

The operation of myinvention is as follows: The seed to be assorted isplaced in the hopper 0, from whence it flows to the feed receptacle D,and by means of the slide'E, connected to the feed-receptacle, the seedis permitted to gradually or evenly flow onto the belt I, and by theoperation of the treadle G the rod G, connected thereto and to thecrankshaft H, causes the said shaft to rotate in its bearings, and thebelt B being connected to the pulley P on the crank-shaft H and to apulley P on the end of the roller N imparts motion to the apron I, whichtravels in the annular groove n of the rollers. By means of one end ofthe roller N being provided with a pulley P, having a belt m thereon,which connects with a pulley Q on one end of the cylinder journaled inthe feed-receptacle, the seed is permitted to pass onto the belt I.

Having described my invention, What I claim is- 1. The combination of asupporting-frame, a pair of rollers, and an endless apron of elasticmaterial, formed with longitudinal channels, and perforations in saidchannels,

substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a supporting-frame, a pair of rollers, and anendless apron formed with longitudinal channels and perforations in saidchannels, said perforations being made through elastic material forminga part of said belt substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of a frame, two rollers,

rotatably mounted in, or supported by said frame, and an endless beltformed with grooves and expansible perforations,substantially as setforth.

4:. The combination of a frame, rollers mounted in said frame, a groovedendless belt with expansible perforations, and an open frame betweensaid rollers to maintain said belt in plane against the weight of thematerial and manual pressure, substantially as set forth.

5. In combination, a frame comprising side walls havingguides orchannels on their innor port-ions, annularly-grooved rollers, and

a corrugated endless belt, composed in part of perforated elasticmaterial, and formed with flanges engaging the channels and grooves inthe rollers, whereby the belt is kept duly stretched laterally well aslongitudinally,

substantially as set forth.

WILLIAM W. BALCH.

\V i tne'sses:

W. E. RATZ, S. CHAMPION.

